Professional Development

Ranger Tom instructs the teachers in 1861 military drill.

NPS Photo

 

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is committed to promoting the use of cultural and natural resources in the classroom. To help teachers incorporate these resources the park assists in hosting teacher institutes. Please see below for further information.

Freedom Rising, 1862: The Second Year of Civil War
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park presents a History and Technology Workshop in partnership with Shepherd University
June 18-June 22, 2012

With the coming of spring 1862 and the beginning of the second year of the Civil War, the landscape in and around Harpers Ferry had changed dramatically. The two weapons factories in town were no more, their valuable machinery having been moved south to make arms for the Confederacy. From a pre-war population of some 3,000 residents, by April 1862, perhaps a hundred or so remained. And now, on Bolivar Heights, Camp Hill, as well as in the town of Harpers Ferry, Union campgrounds could be seen. These soldiers made up a portion of what the Federals called the "Railroad Brigade," a force stationed along the extremely important Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Colonel Dixon Miles, who had arrived the end of March 1862, was in command. He would not survive the year.

During our 2012 Teachers' Institute, we will consider questions of freedom, the impact of war, how Harpers Ferry was a key to the outcome of the war, and the continuing relevance of those issues today. As part of this, we will explore the civilian story, the importance of the railroads and technology, and the new Union recruit experience. We will focus much of our attention on the vitally important Maryland Campaign, and Lincoln's subsequent issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation, a document that changed the whole nature of the war.

Please consider joining us for our 2012 Teachers' Institute! No matter which subject you teach, we will have something for you, and conversely, we want you to share your ideas with your colleagues. The study of history, often challenging and dry, should be vibrant, fun and relevant to other disciplines. We look forward to sharing some of the methods and hands-on activities we use here in the Park when school groups come to visit, including the use of technology (podcasting and/or digital storytelling). All these methods and activities are intended to instill interest and excitement for our country's story in young people, and that is precisely the goal that we in the Education Office have in mind for our teachers' institutes. For teachers of grades 4-12. To apply, please use this form.

Freedom Rising, 1862: The Second Year of Civil War
As part of the eight week American Public University System (APUS) graduate course, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is extremely pleased to host a four-day teachers' institute, which will complement the work done through APUS. During this four-day institute, the Harpers Ferry staff will review the important Civil War events that took place from the spring of 1862 through the early spring of 1863, particularly as they relate to Harpers Ferry and the surrounding area; take field trips to visit the battlefields of Antietam and South Mountain; and, most importantly, introduce the participating educators to a variety of hands-on methods and activities which the Park's Education Department uses when school groups visit Harpers Ferry. In addition, educators will learn ways they can use technology in the classroom, and have the opportunity to share with others ideas and methods they currently use in their classrooms.

To learn more about eight week course or to enroll in the course, please visit the APUS website.

Bridging the Watershed, Summer Teacher Institute, Middle Potomac National Parks
The Bridging the Watershed (BTW) summer institute will prepare teachers to incorporate one or more of the BTW stand-alone curriculum modules into science courses. During this institute, participants will explore the Potomac watershed to learn the local history, geology, and ecology and work with student investigations in the BTW curricula. An integral part of the institutes is an opportunity for teachers to engage in a field study in their participating parks to collect and analyze authentic data.

Building bridges between national parks and schools has been a main focus for the award winning Bridging the Watershed program. The goal is to reach middle and high school students and heighten their awareness of the real-world issues in their backyard-the Potomac watershed. During the institute, teachers and national park rangers (and volunteers in national parks) work together engaging in activities students will do in the classroom and work together in the parks getting their "feet wet" engaging in field studies.

Deadline: The deadline for the application and supporting documents is May 1, 2012. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Notification of acceptance to the institute will be sent soon afterwards.

Please see the informational flyer for more details. To apply, please visit the BTW website.